Master of British Vessel Describes Actions of Japanese Authorities; Prompt British Action Shanghai, Feb. 2
ESCUED after a dramatic dash from Weihaiwei to Tsingtao by TLS. Birmingham on Jan, 28, the British-owned Shanghai coastal steamer, St. Vi ent de Paul, arrived here yesterday morning following her prompt release by the Japanese authorities at Tsingtao after she had detained by them on charges of smuggling arms and ammunition south of Haichow the same day. 'A graphic description of the seizure of the ship and of the prompt action of the British naval authorities was given to a "North-China Daily News" reporter by Captain.P, J. Maley, master of the St. Vincent de Paul, who jocularly remarked, when asked for 4 statement in connection with the incident, "They searched the hip and found nothing but pork, We were not carrying contraband, but general cai \ea by Messrs. Herlofson, Gurdon and Reeves of Shanghai, and fant present on charter to a Chinese shipping firm, was seized by a Chinese Maritime Customs cruiser "under Japamere orders on Jo when About nine miles out from Shayans. khang, south of Haichow. "The master was then. Informed that his vessel would be detained on. suspicion of having Inded: munitions of war at Haotehingkeny (Funing) and, together with two Norwegian vessels, the s Waidah and the s Havthor, held, on the same charges, the St Vincent' de Paul was taken under armed escort Tsingtao.
Twenty minutes after her arrival at the "latter pork, however, she war released, the British cruiser, "H.NLS. Birmingham, steaming there' at' full speed from Weihaiwei, where she had picked up a wireless message from the British naval authorities in yhal to proceed to Tsingtao and vexeuo" the detained ship. These covenis were described to the reporter yesterday, who boarded the St. Vincent de Paut shortly. atter her arrival at the Mackenzie Wharf, Poodischarge her veneral cargo.
Unfortunately, he conti the he wireless operator of the St. Vincent Paul, Czechoslovakian. had missed the ship at Shanghai. and he: believed that he had been detained in Hongkew while on his way to the vessel. The result was that there was nobody on board who understood wireless telegraphy, although, at the lime of the seizure, both himself and the Chief Ameer had attempted rend out messages
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.